Strawberry Grape Zuccotto

17/11/2023

Strawberry grape zuccotto is a tasty variant of the classic Tuscan zuccotto, enriched with the sweet and delicate aroma of strawberry grapes. Here’s what you need and how to prepare it:

Ingredients

200 g of ladyfingers or ready-made sponge cake
300 g of strawberry grapes
250 g of fresh ricotta
150 g of powdered sugar
100 g of chopped almonds
60 ml of Vin Santo or other sweet beverage (optional)
150 ml of whipping cream
Unsweetened cocoa powder (for decoration)

Preparation

Start by carefully washing the strawberry grapes and gently patting them dry. Halve the grapes and remove the seeds, if present. Set aside.
In a bowl, beat the ricotta with the powdered sugar until light and smooth.
Add the chopped almonds and half of the halved grapes to the ricotta, reserving the other half for the final decoration.
In another bowl, whip the cream until stiff. Gently fold it into the ricotta, sugar, almond, and grape mixture.
Dip the ladyfingers in Vin Santo diluted with a little water (for a version more suitable for children, use a non-alcoholic beverage such as grape juice).
Line a hemispherical mold or bowl with plastic wrap and arrange the soaked ladyfingers along the bottom and sides of the mold, taking care not to leave any gaps.
Pour the ricotta and cream mixture into the mold, leveling it well and covering it with more soaked ladyfingers.
Place in the refrigerator and let rest for at least 3 hours to set properly.
When ready to serve, invert the zuccotto onto a serving plate, remove the plastic wrap, and decorate with the reserved strawberry grapes and a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Trivia

The original zuccotto is a cold dessert rich in history! It is said that its shape was inspired by soldiers’ helmets or church domes, such as that of the Florence Cathedral. It is a dessert that lends itself to numerous variations, and this one with strawberry grapes is perfect for taking advantage of the natural sweetness of this particular type of grape when in season.